We road tested the world’s very first plug-in EV minivan – the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid – to discover how this never-stop, seven-seat family vehicle really can go 500+ miles on a full charge and tank.
On our day-long road test, we also discovered the coolness of the Pacifica Hybrid’s cozy interior, kid-friendly tech, no-torque acceleration and loads of advanced safety features.
Chrysler calls its new 2017 Pacifica Hybrid functional, versatile, stylish and full of tech. After our road test from Santa Monica’s Shutters at the Beach to Malibu then through the Santa Monica mountains and back to Santa Monica, we wholeheartedly agree.
Inside LA’s Smashbox Studios, we got a look at the brand new Pacifica Hybrid from the outside. The more narrow, sporty and sculpted Pacifica brings modern design to the minivan. Photo credit: Sheryll Alexander
2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid Highlights
–The 2017 Pacifica Hybrid is actually a plug-in vehicle and not a true hybrid (gas engine only). This means the Pacifica Hybrid runs on both electric and gas power. It has two separate inlets for pumping gas and charging the electric battery.
–The Pacifica Hybrid’s electric motor, regenerative braking and 16 kWh battery let this minivan go 30+ miles in all-electric mode before it flips to petrol power. On our road test, we drove about 35 miles before the electric motor seamlessly transferred to the 3.6-liter powertrain (see more driving impressions below). Chrysler claims its newfangled Pacifica Hybrid can go around 530 miles on a full tank and a full charge.
We were excited to see Chrysler’s powertrain and exterior engineers had placed this plug-in EVs electric charging port on the Pacifica Hybrid’s front left bumper, which makes it much easier to access the inlet at public chargers.
–The Pacifica Hybrid comes in only two well-equipped trims. The base “premium” model starts at $41,995. The top-of-the-line “platinum” trim costs $44,995 and includes just about everything including Uconnect theatre. Because of its EV factor, both Pacifica Hybrid trims may be eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit. Both trims come with a seemingly exhaustive list of standard luxury, technology and advanced safety features.
—The exterior looks almost exactly like the award-winning 2017 Pacific Hybrid. The hybrid model, however, has some small exterior design changes to get better aerodynamics along with its own teal colored accents and badging.
–Inside, the Pacifica Hybrid has its own turquoise color accent, which is especially noticeable on the steering wheel and seat stitching. Truly, the tone-toned black and cream interior with turquoise stitching and accents is delightfully designed, especially for stylish couples. Chrysler execs stressed the quality build of this new minivan and, after spending a day inside the car in the city, beach and mountains, we agreed with the interior’s mostly excellent craftsmanship.
Here’s a view of 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid’s driver’s cockpit from this minivan’s uber comfortable second-row bucket seats. Photo credit: Sheryll Alexander
–Chrysler’s UConnect Theatre is a kid and parent car dream come true with its 8.4-inch touch screens embedded with fun and educational game apps such as bingo, license plate finder and a surprisingly delightful (and educational!) game of “hanged man” entitled “hanging fruit.” The “theatre” is actually embedded into the back of the front seats so each second-row passenger has his or her own screen along with easy access to their very own USB port, headphone jack, HDMI port (DVD or BluRay), headphones and remote. Our teenager swooned over the ultra comfortable bucket seat with built-in individual “theatre” system and declared: “Even the educational stuff is cool.”
Our teenager took this pic while sitting in the second row bucket seats of the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica equipped with this kid-approved UConnect threatre built into the back of the front seats. Photo credit: Juliet Alexander
2017 Chrysler Pacific Hybrid Driving Impressions
We have driven every just about every North American electric vehicle (EV), so we were excited to road test an electric-equipped minivan. Could it be real?
Happily, we discovered the all-electric driving on the new Pacifica Hybrid is delightfully quick. There is a bit of a lurch when going from electric to gas, but we are certain this could be part of the EV learning curve too. While racing around the hairpin curves of the Santa Monica mountains, we were impressed by the Pacifica’s no-torque electric acceleration, tight steering radius and overall excellent handling. The Pacifica truly feels more like you are driving a sporty car rather than a clunky van. And once all the electric power had run out (after around 35 miles!), the switch to the 3.6-liter gas engine was definitely seamless and drives dreamily as well.
One thing we noticed during our road test was a bit worrying, however. We decided to try out the third row seating during a particularly mountainous part of the trip. The third row seats are surprisingly comfortable and roomy for legs. However, we witnessed some heavy duty shaking of the second row bucket seats. It was sadly very noticeable and, we mused, not a good thing in the long haul. Hopefully in the next gen, Chrysler can fix that unmistakable Pacifica rattle when the second row bucket seats are empty.
Here’s the view from the surprisingly roomy third row seats as we rolled through LA’s curvy Santa Monica Mountains. Video credit: Sheryll Alexander.
All in all, the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid is a sweet deal, especially for those who qualify for the federal tax credit and can eventually “save” up to $7,500 on this incredibly fast, fun, smooth and fuel efficient eco van.
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